December 29, 2009

This is the title track off of her 4th album. This song's existence was first mentioned a couple of years back but it was not until this year that the public got to hear it. Featuring rapper Big Daddy Kane, the original version is hip hop-oriented, a departure for the Dance diva, however, she does it well. She didn't forget about her loyal clubland following as there are many remixes of the song by the Wideboys, Groove Police, Sweet Team, Virgo Brothers, Tony Moran, and Joe Gauthreaux. The Wideboys provide a funky, bassline-driven mix as usual. Groove Police's is a simple, groovy mix. It has a fun feel. Sweet Team take things in a lighter, soulful direction. The Virgo Brothers go into a light, but electro styled mix. Tony Moran and Joe Gauthreaux both provide big room, circuit-oriented mixes. All the mixes are quite enjoyable. Great song with a great package.

December 24, 2009

This is the sexy new single from rising star Kaylah Marin. She sings about how she wants her potential suitor to take her on the dancefloor. Her vocals are quite good on this track. The original is a midtempo and would work well remixed. There are remixes by Mike Rizzo, Tracy Young, Rod Carillo, Josh Harris, and The Perry Twins. Mike Rizzo's is a simple dance/pop mix. Tracy Young's is her usual big room, circuit mix. Rod Carillo's is electro-oriented. Josh Harris' mix has a nice 80's synthpop feel to. The Perry Twins go in a simple dance/pop direction as well, a bit of a departure from some of their other work. The package is really great overall.

December 23, 2009

This is a special remix album that has been in the works for several years. It was first announced a couple of years ago but was canceled for unknown reasons. Unlike some of the other titles in the Almighty 'We Love...'series, this Diana Ross one actually features her original vocals. Several of the versions have appeared on other Almighty compilations over the years and/or have been promoted. This collection features a good amount of her big hits, plus some lesser known ones. A number of the mixes stay true to the original and just feel like freshened up, modernized takes on the classics. Some of the songs that fall into that category include "Love Hangover", "The Boss", "Upside Down", "No One Gets The Prize", and "Lovin', Livin' and Givin'". Some go in a totally new direction, like "Touch Me In The Morning" which is a euro/hi-nrg styled uptempo mix, unlike the ballad original. It does have a piano beginning though. The "Reach Out And Touch Somebody's Hand" is particularly noteworthy as it is not an uptempo remix. It's a nice surprise. The only mixes that aren't as spectactular are the "I'm Coming Out" and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" which have seen countless revisits done to perfection by other remixers. Oher than those minor things, this collection is pretty solid.

December 16, 2009

After the smash hit "Rewind", Keo Nozari is back with a hot new single entitled "Like Lightning". This is the lead single off of his upcoming second album. Written and produced by Keo himself and Ellis Miah, this is an R&B-oriented club track. It immediately calls to mind some of George Michael's material of the late 80's/early 90's without sounding dated, both in terms of the production and Keo's vocals. Keo's voice has that same likable quality. The song is fun and playful. This could be the one that finally introduces Keo to the rest of the world . This feels like a classic already.

This is the newcomer's first single. He teams up with club diva Debby Holiday for "Party Round The World." Featuring mixes by Barry Harris and Chris Thomas, the song is meant to be a feelgood, fun song. Unfortunately, Jason's vocals make the song difficult to enjoy. They feel lifeless and lack the energy needed for a song about partying. However, Debby is her usual best. Jason could potentially do well with a different song somewhere down the line. Based on some of Jason's other songs, he has a decent voice so this song doesn't truly do him justice. The Barry Harris remixes have a nice Latin/light tribal feel. The dub is the one to go for. It has just enough of Jason and Debby's vocals. And the fun Latin production is really highlighted. Some of the drums call to mind Barry's club classic "Dive Into The Pool." Chris Thomas' are electro/tribal-oriented and a bit more hard-hitting. Pretty good as well. Overall, this is a good track.

December 8, 2009

It has been nearly 10 years since Lovers Rock was released. It was announced late last year that Sade would release a new album this year, however, the album entitled Soldier Of Love will be released on February 8, 2010. The much-awaited single of the same name was absolutely worth the wait. Stylistically, this isn't different from the Sade that many have loved and cherished for so many years. It almost feels like they picked up where they left off. The midtempo track is a joy to listen to from start to finish. Sade Adu's vocals are silky smooth. The production is crisp and rousing.

This is the latest single off of her second English language album. "Dirty Desire" is much racier than some of her earlier singles. It has a sleazy, naughty feel that may be a bit much for some of her fans, but it's nice to see Utada doing different types of songs. There are some remixes of this song for the clubs by Digital Dog, Mike Rizzo, and Razor N' Guido so far. Digital Dog provide a funky electro house mix with some light synths. Razor N' Guido offer some dark circuit-oriented mix that take the sexual aspect of the song up like 100 notches. This song lends itself well to remixes.

December 7, 2009

This is his latest single which is also a cover of a positive, uplifting type song. "Kumbaya" was recorded earlier this year, but it remained unreleased until now. There are some changes to the lyrics though. It features mixes by Eric Kupper, Christopher Lawrence, and Tony Moran & Warren Rigg. Eric Kupper's mixes are slightly circuit-oriented, but they are really light. They feature some select samples from U.S. President Barack Obama's speeches. Christopher Lawrence takes things in a trancier direction. Tony Moran & Warren Rigg's mixes are their usual circuit anthem, but they are also is in a light epic trance direction. The dub is nicer as there's just some vocals and it gives listeners the opportunity to hear the stunning production. While this release may not be everyone's cup of tea, give it a chance. The production on all the mixes is solid and well-done.